Save Me
by Miss JM Barrie
Summary: Complete Voldemort is not the only threat Harry has to deal with. Draco isn't Hermione's only source of danger. The teenage heart can conjure more complicated magic than any incantation known to Wizard and Muggle alike.
1. I Don't Know How To Love Him

Hermione glanced up from her stacks of books and papers to see Harry fast asleep by the fireplace. The common room had long since been deserted and the only light was the crackling fire and the glow of Hermione's candelabra amongst her scrolls. Harry's head was cradled to one side in the crook of a huge, red lounge chair. One leg was slumped over the arm rest, his dress pants exposed underneath his robes. His glasses were terribly askew across his nose and his Standard Book of Spells Grade 6 lay propped in his arms across his stomach. A smile curled across Hermione's lips as she watched the lighted shadows dance across Harry's face, every not and then sending a tiny shimmer over the lenses of his glasses.  
  
Just then, Hermione heard footsteps coming down from the boys dormitory, causing her to break her gaze at Harry and turn her focus back to her Alchemy report. Through the corner of her eyes, she saw tall, red-headed, and handsome Ron Weasley cross over to the chair next to Harry's and pick up an old Skiving Box Fred and George had sent him a few days ago. "Oy, Hermione," he whispered. Hermione's head shot up suddenly, and her surprised expression made Ron giggle a bit. "How long's Harry been asleep?"  
  
"I wouldn't have any idea," she whispered back, and awkwardly returned her attention back to her essay. She head Ron laugh as he walked toward her table. "Honestly Ron, what is so funny?" she shot to him quietly, becoming quite aggravated at Ron's lack of consideration to waking Harry.  
  
"You," he replied, wearing a very fluorescent grin on his face. "You and your girlish pride. You still haven't told him have you?"  
  
"It was hard enough with you and Ginny finding out this past summer," she murmured angrily.  
  
"As I recall," Ron began, leaning against the table, "you didn't make an effort at keeping your voice down when you were screaming it into Viktor's face in our backyard." It was true. Hermione sat there with a half blushing, half frigid look on her face. The summer had been a hard one for Hermione to deal with, so after she and her parents returned from Ireland on vacation, they let Hermione go visit Ginny at The Burrow. Unfortunately for her, Viktor popped up unexpectedly, and had gotten her to confess her true feelings for Harry when he tried to make an uninvited pass at her on the lakeside.  
  
"If I were to talk to Harry, how do you suggest I strike up the conversation," she asked him, a glint of fire in her eye. "Sorry I wasn't there to help you mourn your dead godfather Harry, as I was a bit preoccupied with my parents followed by a stalking ex-boyfriend. By the way, did I mention that I have been in love with you for the past five years?" Hermione let out an exasperated sigh, threw down her quill, and slouched back in her chair, arms folded.  
  
"Sounds fine by me," Ron said with yet another chuckle as Hermione heaved another affronted sigh. He loved getting under her skin like this, but there was a point he was trying to make, "If you don't Hermione, the two of you will only stay friends forever," Ron added sincerly, "I know that's not what you want."  
  
"What I want is not to lose him," she said lowly, "And I'd rather have him as a friend then to do that." Just then, Harry began to moan heavily and his leg which hung over the arm rest began to twitch. Hermione shot out of her seat and rushed to him as Ron spun around and did the same. Her knees skidded across the floor as she landed in front of his chair, panting heavily fron anxiety. Harry was obviously having another one of his violent nightmares, which had been a normality since their return to Hogwarts a few months ago. Harry's moans grew increasingly into screams.  
  
"Harry!" Hermione called loudly, "Harry, wake up!" She took a hold of his shoulders and shook him, but he continued to yell. He began to shake and sweat which sent Hermione's heart racing. "Harry, please wake up!" Hermione pleaded, shaking him desperately harder. This time, Harry's eyes shot open and he sat up with a start. Dripping now with sweat and breathing heavily, he stammered  
  
"Wha--wha--"  
  
"I think you were having another nightmare, mate," Ron said dimly as Hermione gently eased Harry back into the chair.  
  
"Hand me my wand, Ron," Hermione said. Ron crossed to the table, fetched Hermione's wand, and handed it to her. "Accio Butterbeer," she spoke, swishing her wand in the direction of the Gryffindor prefect lounge across the hallway. Within seconds, a bottle of butterbeer had come floating into the common room and into Hermione's hands. She popped the cap off against her belt buckle, and handed the cold drink to Harry.  
  
"Don't be silly, Harry," Hermione said firmly, yet gently, as Harry raised his hand about to protest. "You know you'll feel much better if you have a bit of something to drink, seeing as there isn't any other type of sweets around." As Harry took the bottle with a gracious nod, Hermione added with a look of deep concern, "Are you all right?"  
  
"Yeah," replied Harry quietly, not making eye contact with her. Actually, he was more embarassed than anything else as he thought on the scene he must have cause. He took a swig of the butterbeer and shuddered a bit as the warm frothiness filled the core of his stomach. He cast a few embarrased glances at Hermione, who was smiling at him sheepishly before standing and saying, "Look, it's late, and um, we've got a quiz in Triple Potions tomorrow, so I should--"  
  
"Get to bed, yeah," Hermione finished as she too stood. "Oh," she said with a tiny laugh, "your glasses." They were still resting crookedly on Harry's face. Hermione reached up and adjusted them properly. Harry smiled at her and looked over to see Ron packing a few things away in his knapsack. When he cast his attention back to Hermione, he exchanges an awkward half smile with her. He notice there was something very odd about her eyes, in the way she was looking at him, they had a spark in them he hadn't seen before. Deciding he was too tired to deal with it at the moment, Harry shrugged it off. Raising his bottle slightly he said,  
  
"Thanks. 'Night," and hiked up the steps to his room.  
  
"'Night," she called back, and watched him as he disappeared up to the dormitory. She didn't realize the dopey grin which must have been across her face until she caught Ron staring at her again with that same stupid smile he had been wearing earlier.   
  
"'Night," said Ron, and started to follow Harry upstairs. Hermione let out a frustrated growl when Ron turned back to her halfway up his ascent. "Since Vikro hooked up with Parvati last week, I'd go ahead and tell Harry if I were you, before that beastly little gossip tells the whole school. Not that there aren't plenty of us who already know."  
  
"Viktor wouldn't say anything to Parvati about it," Hermione retorted aburptly.  
  
"Fine then, do whatcha like," Ron replied, his own patience growing thin. He had a temper to match the flaming colors of his hair, which was becoming quick to ignite at the moment. "But I wouldn't put anything past that Viktor prat. I don't care how much you still trust him, he's still a vicious little Quidditch has-been." And with that, Ron bounded up the rest of the stairs to his room.  
  
Flushing a small shade of pink, Hermione crossed back over to the table where all her things wer strewn and packed them away. Having exerted most of her frustration with Ron, and Viktor oo, with that activity, Hermione found herself dragging herself wearily up to her room. Gratefully, Ginny, Lavender, and Padma were all still asleep. The moonlight was so bright that it filled the room completely, and negated Hermione's need to light a candle as she changed into her pink, satin nightgown. She looked into the large vanity mirror as she pulled her hair free from it's encumbered ponytail. Once it was down, Hermione shook her head freely and crumpled her fingers through the soft, brown tufts. Hermione had started to grow into a very beautiful young woman by most standards, but she thought what good any of it was if Harry didn't notice.  
  
Emitting a heavy sigh, she walked over to her bed and crawled on top of her mattress to pull the drapes shut. Once the bright blue moonlight had disappeared from around her bed, Hermione sulkily crawled into the warmth of the sheets. Her mind always weight heavy at night, and mostly upon Harry. She knew he had been having nightmares about Sirius, and she wished there was something she could to to help him.   
  
Both Harry and Hermione cried themselves to sleep that night, just like every night since the end of term last year. 


	2. Promise Me You'll Be Careful

"Foul, loathsome, evil, little cockroach," Hermione muttered as she stormed down the corridor with Harry after they emerged from the dungeon.  
  
"What did Draco do this time?" Harry asked wearily rubbing his forehead. Training for an Auror wasn't as fun or as glamorous when it involved third level potions with Professor Snape.  
  
"Nothing," Hermione added shortly. Hermione felt hot chills run up her arm as Harry gently took hold of her, causing them to stop in the middle of the crowded hallway.  
  
"'Mione," Harry said, cocking his eyebrow in curiosity, "what did Draco do?" It took a moment for Hermione to find her voice after Harry had let go of her arm.  
  
"It's not that big of a deal, Harry," she replied firmly and forced them to continue down the hallway, "and how did you know I was talking about Malfoy anyway?" Harry let out a small laugh and replied,  
  
"Cockroach is only your favorite insult for him." They caught each others eyes and grinned broadly as they began down the steps to the Great Hall.  
  
At dinner, Harry could not help but notice the dark glances that Draco kept casting in Hermione's direction. Once, he caught Draco's eye and mouthed, "Leave her alone," but all Draco did was smile evilly and whisper something in Crabbe's ear. Harry really didn't like the cold, sinking feeling he kept getting in the pit of his stomach, so he leaned over to Hermione and whispered, "Be careful going to the elections tonight." Hermione, who was scolding a pair of second years down the table, had not heard him.  
  
"I'm sorry, Harry did you say something?" Hermione asked once she had re-situated herself in front of her slice of pumpkin pie. Harry sighed and said again, slightly louder from the agitation at having to repeat himself,  
  
"Be careful coming back from your rounds tonight. Malfoy seems to be cooking something up, and he's been throwing you demonic glances all through dinner." He then went back to shoving the remains of his blackberry cobbler into his mouth. Hermione felt her stomach do a small flip at Harry's defensive concern for her.  
  
"Really, now, Harry, Draco's been acting like this since the first day we met him," she said, and took another bite of pie, "it's just Draco being his usual pratty self, probably jealous that he wasn't nominated for Head Boy and you were." Harry let out a small chuckle as he took another sip of his pumpkin juice. He just knew he would feel better if Hermione didn't have dormitory and hallway checks before the election that night.  
  
"Just promise you'll be careful," Harry said without looking up. To her surprise, Hermione found the courage to clasp Harry's chin with her thumb and forefinger, and turn his face to her. But what she wanted to say left her abruptly at the look of confused surprise on Harry's face. To break down the sudden, intimate shock she could feel rising, she moved her hand up to Harry's black mat of hair and mussed it. Harry soon found himself chuckling into his dessert, while Hermione said amongst a giggle,   
  
"Promise." Harry found his spirits to remain up for the rest of the dinner feast.  
  
Once all the plates were practically cleared, and students across the hall were jabbering at high volumes, Dumbledore stood and raised his hands to speak. Within moments, the entire room fell silent. "Tonight, as you all may well know, is a special night for recognizing our fellow peers from last year and for the year to follow. Since last years sorted events led to no proper End of the Year Feast last term, and with Hogwarts closing early for renovations from, um, certain pranks performed on the castle last year, all the celebrating will be meshed into one glorious night." Cheers and applause emitted from the students, but only for a moment as Dumbledore continued. "So, you all have exactly one hour to freshen up before reporting back here for the announcement of next years Prefect, Head Boy and Girl, and House Favorites. Prefect, make your rounds as speedily as possible tonight and make sure there is no dottling." Hermione stood up from her spot and smiled at Harry as she left.  
  
"Good luck."  
  
"You too," said Harry, returning her smile.  
  
"Hey, wait up, Hermione!" Ron called, as he ran to keep up, stuffing the rest of his treacle tart into his mouth. "Good luck, Harry!" he called back loudly over the ruckus of everyone leaving.  
  
"And you!!" Harry bellowed back to Ron. Ron was up for Gryffindor House favorite, and Harry was very grateful too, since it lessened the sting for Ron when it was Harry who got nominated for Head Boy in Gryffindor House. Non-Prefects didn't usually get the honor of a Head Boy nod, but secretly, Harry was glad Dumbledore had made the exception. Harry stood from the table to see if he could find Malfoy to chew him out for his smirks towards Hermione. Unfortunately, Draco had already left to attend to his Prefect duties, and was nowhere to be found. Harry soon felt that sinking feeling return to his stomach as he headed back to Gryffindor Tower to change into his dress robes.  
  
All the prefect had returned from their rounds that evening a good fifteen minutes before the election was to commence. All, that is, except Hermione. Both Ron and Harry were figeting nervously in their seats, Ron more or less from the itchiness of the robes then out of concern for Hermione. "Girls just take longer to primp you know, Harry," Ron assured him, tugging at the collar of his pale blue robes. "She's still got a few minutes. She'll be here." Harry was wrining his hands against his lips as his elbows rested on the table. He headn't pulled his eyes off the massive double doors at the end of the Great Hall corridor since he realized Hermione hadn't shown. What really made Harry sweat was the fact that Draco and his minions, Crabbe and Goyle, hadn't arrived yet either. Ron had an explantion for that as well.  
  
"All these explanations," Harry retorted, "Merlin's beard, Ron, you sound like Hermione." Ron paused for a moment, deciding on if he had been insulted or not, but then continued,  
  
"They're still sore at Dumbledore for not nominating Draco for Head Boy. Did you really expect those prats to show up, even if they are supposed to."  
  
"Exactly, Ron. Draco is supposed to be here because he is a prefect. His dad is in Azkaban, and not even I can believe he would be stupid enough to pull something under Dumbledore's nose right now," Harry replied, but then he shook his head. "Did that just come out of my mouth, this is Draco Malfoy I'm talking about here." Then all of a sudden, a sickening feeling swept over Harry. He started to breath heavily and thought he was going to pass out. It was almost like a dementor had entered the room, but the Great Hall was dementor free. Harry barely felt Ron's hand on his shoulder as Ron called,  
  
"Harry.....Harry....what is it, mate, you look like you're going to be sick." Ron's words were nothing more than an odd echoing within Harry's head. Draco's final threat to Harry at the end of last term after his father had been sent to prison began to fill his mind,  
  
"You'll pay for this, Potter." Draco had used this threat against Harry nearly a hundreds of times, but somehow, Harry knew this time he had really meant it. Suddenly, Harry flung himself backward, and out of his daze, nearly falling out of his seat and onto the floor. Without a word to Ron, he lept from his place at the table and dashed madly from the crowded hall, as Ron's voice trailed after him,  
  
"Harry, where are your going?" It had clicked in Harry's head. The best way Draco could find of hurting Harry would be to harm those closest to him. The easiest targets being Ron......and Hermione!! 


	3. Worse Than A Cockroach

"Told Potter I would make him pay, didn't I boys," Draco mused to Crabbe and Goyle as Hermione wringed madly to free herself from Malfoy's goons. Goyle had one arm pinning Hermione's arms to her chest, and the otherpressed firmly over her mouth to muffle her screams. To keep her from running, Crabbe had a hold of her knees so that when she tried to buck loose he wouldn't get a shoe in the ribs. Clearly, the two weren't the brightest chaps, but they had learned well what it took to successfully caputre a prisoner.  
  
Hermione recognized the path they were taking as the one which led down to the Slytherin dormitories. It would surely be completely deserted with everyone at the convocation, which is exactly what Draco was counting on; though Hermione couldn't think of a single Slytherin who wouldn't enjoy see her roughed up a bit. When they reached the portrait, Draco gave the password, 'pure blood' ("Can't improve on perfection," he had said to Hermione with a sickly grin) and Crabbe and Goyle lugged Hermione into the Slytherin common room. Once inside, the two of them dropped her to her feet and immediately tossed her into Draco's arms. Draco had to fight to keep his hold on Hermione as she fought desperately to release herself, "Let GO of me, you shameful, putrid--"  
  
"Have a seat, Granger," said Draco wickedly as he threw her into one of the large, black lounge chairs, causing Hermione to emit as small groan. Indeed there was no one in the place, and as Hermione soon noticed, no one included Crabbe and Goyle. She was left completely alone in the Slythein common room with Draco Malfoy.   
  
Before she had a chance to get up, Draco had slammed his hands onto Hermione's wrists, pinning them to the arm rests of the chair. Hermione winced in pain, but did nothing more as Draco's face loomed inches from hers. Breathing hard, she stared down Draco's smirking grin.  
  
"You must be out of your disgusting mind, Malfoy," Hermione snarled, "Once Dumbldore hears about this, you'll be expelled faster than you can say Azkaban." Draco merely continued to smile and his hands traveled up to Hermione's upper arms, pressing them hard into the back of the chair.  
  
"That's an amazing dress, Granger. Bet you thought THIS would impress, Harry eh?" Draco said, on the verge of laughter. Hermione's eyes grew wide.  
  
"Wha--How--?"  
  
"Parvati is SUCH a little tattle-tale. Can't keep her mouth shut for two seconds, always jabbering on and on, doesn't ever consider," Draco broke off to grin at her, "who might be listening." Hermione's cheeks flared red, as she fought against Draco's hold yet again. Coursing with rage, Hermione spat right into Draco's face. Draco snapped his hands hard against her shoulders and kneeled in front of her, "Not wise you repulsive Mudblood. You wouldn't want to hurry Saint Potter's return to his weak, insufferable parents, now would you?" Draco began to laugh.   
  
"You think you're so clever," said Hermione, steaming with fury, "Harry's on to you. He was on to you hours ago, and when I don't show up, then he'll come looking for me." Draco's laughter increased.  
  
"Clever witch, haven't you figured out that's what I want?" Draco replied. Hermione gasped as one of Draco's hands flung up to her neck. "Perhaps it's time I sped things up," growled Draco deeply, and crashed his lips forcefully onto Hermione's. Hermione squeeled shrilly, and now with a free left hand, she began to hit Draco as hard as she could to get him off. Without moving his lips, Draco caught her flaying hand and belted it against the chair. Hermione screamed in pain as Draco removed his lips at last. Laughing maliciously, Draco picked Hermione up from the chair and threw her to the floor. Earthshaking fear began to engulf Hermione as she wallowed on the floor in pain, the air completely knocked out of her lungs.   
  
"He's going to....to....."  
  
Within the next split second, Draco crawled on top of Hermione. He straddled her hips, pressing his weight down hard onto her lower body so that she couldn't move. He then pulled his shirt off swiflty, and after grabbing her wrists and flinging them over her head said in her ear,"Don't trouble your pretty little head, I'll take off the dress." Draco was now merely clothed in his black dress pants, and Hermione could smell his sweat mix with his disgusting cologne. Their faces were once again only inches apart, Draco's long blonde hair brushing across Hermione's forehead. Her heart was racing with terror at this horrific act Draco was about to force on her, but that didn't stop her genius mind from ticking.  
  
"Pig!" she spat through gritted teeth, and in a quick movement, brought her upper leg swiftly up Malfoy's groin. Draco curbed over in pain as Hermione started to crawl away. But before she could manage to stand, Draco caught her ankle and pulled himself on top of her back, laying on her flatly. He caught her arms this time, and wrenched them behind her back as Hermione cried out in agony. To Hermine's disgust, Draco was still laughing and said oily into her ear,  
  
"Ooo, I love the dirty talk, Granger. You ARE clever to know."  
  
Hermione began to cry from fear. Her body was weak, and she had no magic to protect her against this kind of darkness. Draco started to kiss and bite Hermione's neck, and run one of his hands up her leg to remove her dress. Draco had almost reached her underwear, when Hermione heard someon charge into the common room and within seconds, throw Draco off of her. She spun around to see Harry and Draco fighting fiercly on the floor. Both boys were swinging punches at whatever they could hit. Anger pounding through her veins now, when she saw Draco roll Harry over and pin him to the floor, she attacked Draco with all her might. Diving forward, she clenched both of her fists together, and pounded Draco hard in his right ear. Draco immediately flew off Harry and landed on the floor with a thud, and grabbing his ear in howling pain. Harry stood for yet another full on body blow to Draco, but Hermione grabbed his arm and shirt before he could. It took all of her remaining strength to hold him back.  
  
"Stop it, Harry!" she cried, "Don't!" Harry gocked at her in shock, blood draining from his swelling lip, bruises all ready visible on both his cheeks.  
  
"Stop?! 'Mione, this prat was trying to RAPE you!"  
  
"Leave it to the Professors so you don't get expelled along with him," said Hermione casting Draco a vicious look. Then she turned back to Harry, and wiped some of the blood from his chin. "I'm all right," she assured him. Harry paused and felt his mad hatred begin to subside at the tenderness in Hermione's touch. He noticed how incredibly striking that scarlet dress was on her, and how it accentuated her....   
  
"You clueless, disturbed pansy," Malfoy muttered. He had managed to get to his feet again, though he was swaying to keep his balance, "She loves you knitwit, has been for years, but you've been too self-obsorbed to see it."   
  
"You're off your trolley, Malfoy," said Harry violently, "Hermione must've hit you harder than she thought." He tried to throw her a smile, but it soon faded as he saw Hermione trying to purposefully avoid his gaze.  
  
"Look at her for yourself and tell me you don't see it," Malfoy chided. Indeed, Hermione was now on the verge of tears. This was NOT how she had wanted him to find out.  
  
"Shut up, Malfoy," she hissed, shutting her eyes. Harry stood completely aghast by the whole thing. By Hermione's reaction, it was obvious Draco wasn't lying. Hermione was in love with him? Had ALWAYS been in love with him?  
  
"How many times did it break your heart, Granger, to see Harry chase after Cho? When he KISSED Cho?"  
  
"Shut up," Hermione said more firmly, turning from Harry to face Malfoy, eyes glossy and glaring. She didn't want anymore violence, but he was pushing it.  
  
"The faithful, loyal, and doting Hermione Granger, brilliant witch of our age, always by Boy Wonder's side----!"  
  
"Shut up!" Harry screamed this time, fists clenching. Draco's twisting grin now turned into a leer.  
  
"What's the matter Potter? Did I hit a nerve? Seeing the truth now are you about your precious little Mudblood whore!" That did it. Blinded with hatred, Harry tried to throw a punch, but Draco ducked and punched Harry hard in the stomach, knocking the air form his lungs. Hermione started for Harry's side, but Draco was quick to stop her with a violent back hand to her face. Hermione shriekd and spun into the couch. "Does it kill you to know he doesn't love you back, Granger!" he snapped. Draco was advancing on Hermione as she cast him a dark look of her own through tear stained eyes. "To him, you're nothing, and never will be." Just then, Harry lept to his feet, hurled Draco around, and gave him a right cross that sent him sprawling across the room and into the coffee table, which shattered into peices at Draco's crash and burn landing. Once Draco was down and out for good, Harry looked around him through blinking eyes to see if Hermione was all right. But to Harry's dismay, she was gone. 


	4. For Her Kiss

"Gillyweed," Harry shouted. The Fat Lady gave a grunt of indignation as she allowed the portrait to swing open to give Harry entry to Gryffindor tower. Harry was in such a rush that he nearly collided with Lee Jordan who was running about tossing Exploding Snaps.  
  
"There's our Head Boy now, where ya been, Harry?" Lee yelled joyously over the ruckus.  
  
"What?" replied Harry as a mass of Gyffindors immersed Harry with handshakes, pats on the back, and one even shoved a bottle of Firewhisky into his hand. Harry looked up to see a miniature fireworks display over head which read in colourful spectacles: 'Congratulations!,' then in green shot, 'Harry Potter: Head Boy,' then in pink, 'Hermione Granger: Head Girl' and then in red, "Ron Weasley: Gryffindor House Favorite." Harry had forgotten all about the election announcement. He didn't even have a chance to feel a bit of pride before seeing Ron reminded him of why his head was throbbing with pain. As Ron worked his way through the cluster, he blurted out,  
  
"Harry, what's going on? Hermione ran through here a few minutes ago bawling her eyes out and…." Ron paused as he took notice of Harry's bruised and bloody face, "did you take on the Whomping Willow on one on one or something?"  
  
"You say Hermione ran through here?"  
  
"Yeah, well, uh--"  
  
"Ron," Harry said, pulling him over into a corner and dropping his voice as much as he could, "Go find a professor, ANY professor. Then get them down to the Slytherin dormitories, tell them Draco tried to hurt Hermione," Ron's mouth dropped, "don't ask any question, just go NOW! I need to take care of Hermione, go, and hurry before he wakes up!" Without another word, Ron raced out the portrait hole.  
  
Harry wiped his mouth of the blood that was still dripping from it onto his sleeve. He panned the room until he found Ginny sitting on the couch with Dean Thomas, talking to him frantically about something. Harry had only three guesses as to what. Harry hurried towards them. Ginny's expression of alarm grew as soon as she saw Harry's state, but Harry spoke first, "How can I get up to the girl's dormitories?"  
  
To Ginny and Lavender's dismay, Hermione had come bounding through the door sobbing bitterly. Without even acknowledging they were there, she had thrown herself onto her bed and buried her head in her pillow. All Ginny had managed to say was a very stricken, "Hermione--?" before Hermione had barked at them to leave her alone. Very much against their will, they had left the room quietly.  
  
Hermione could hardly believe everything that had just happened. The entire graphically obscene event kept playing over and over again in her head. With each viewing, she could feel herself becoming more useless to fighting the sinking feeling it weighed into her stomach. Her wrists were still throbbing from their previous battery. Her cheek was still stinging sharply. Draco's body was still on her, and worse yet, she could still hear his vile words, "Does it kill you to know he doesn't love you back, Granger--To him, you're nothing and never will be." She knew she should run and tell someone what happened, but she just couldn't bring herself to for some reason. Not only had Draco almost…….but Harry……Hermione rolled over with a groan. Harry now knew. She wreathed tighter into her pillow and began screaming. She screamed and cried until she thought she was hoarse. Just when she thought she was to the point where tears were beyond her, she head the door creak open. Hermione gasped and held her breath.  
  
"Hermione, are you all right?" she heard Harry whisper. The struggle of feelings which came over her were overwhelming. She did no want to see Harry at all right now, but at the same time, she could think of no better medicine for this pain than his embrace. Hermione sat up on the bed, legs cradled gently over the side, but she kept her back to the door.  
  
"How did you manage up the stairs?" she asked, wiping a few tears away. Harry walked carefully into the room, just enough to close the door behind him. He wanted to make sure they wouldn't be disturbed if Hermione felt like talking. Harry thought they did have much to talk about indeed.  
  
"I had to levitate on Ginny's shoulders in my invisibility cloak while she walked up the stairs," replied Harry with a weak laugh, "It was quite a feat." There was an awkward silence which made Harry's stomach lurch. He felt so helpless. He wished there was something, anything, that he could do. "Ron found McGonagall. He came and told me before I managed to come up. Draco's in Dumbledore's office right now. Ron says Dumbledore was furious and is making arrangements to send him straight home." There was another tense pause, and then slowly, Hermione turned to face Harry. He had never seen Hermione look so full of pain and vulnerability in his life; it felt like Draco had punched him in the stomach all over again. Harry really thought he could feel his heart break into a million pieces. It was the same feeling he had gotten as he watched Sirius die.  
  
"I'm so….so….sorry, Harry," Hermione stammered. As if Harry couldn't be more floored, this was the last thing Harry had expected to hear her say.  
  
"What?! You have NOTHING to be sorry for!" Harry stampeded to Hermione's bedside, but stopped abruptly when she continued,  
  
"That…..was not…..my intention of…..I had no idea….I don't know what to say, Harry." Hermione slumped back onto the bed and covered her eyes with her hands. Harry cautiously sat on the very most edge of her bed, and when Hermione didn't protest, slid onto the end of it, closer to her.  
  
"You don't have to say anything, Hermione," Harry replied. A moments, a very tense moment passed, and Harry could feel like he had to said something. "Why didn't you tell me, Hermione?" The words came quietly but also with a hint of firm gentleness. "Why didn't you ever say anything?" Harry leaned against the bed next to Hermione on his left side, and propped his head up in his hand. "You are a clever witch, Hermione, but couldn't you figure out--"  
  
"I was afraid, Harry," Hermione interrupted, moving her hands from her face but not looking at him. "You never seemed to show me any signs that you wanted to be more than friends. What was I supposed to do? It was awful keeping myself shut up all these years. Draco was right, it hurt to know you--"  
  
"Didn't return your feelings? Says who?" Hermione's eyes began to water with tears again.  
  
"What did you say?" she asked quietly.  
  
"Can I hold you Hermione…..will you let me?" Hermione slid slowly into the crook of Harry's shoulder and then curled her arm around his waist. This felt so good. So right.  
  
"I have to be the most ungrateful, stupid, brainless prat in the world for not admitting to myself that there always has been something between us. Something more than friends." Harry paused and sighed as Hermione gave him a small squeeze. "I might have saved you from Malfoy today, Hermione, but it was you who saved me a long time ago." Hermione rolled her head off Harry's shoulder, and placing a hand underneath to cushion her cheek, rolled her head onto his chest. One would think their intimate behavior to be terribly sudden, but the two felt strangely at ease.  
  
"What do you mean, Harry? Save you from what?" Hermione asked as she flipped an eyebrow in curiosity. Harry smiled at her cutely crooked expression.  
  
"You saved me from a loveless life," he replies. The smile faded from his lips, but his eyes were still glistening. Hermione's expression changes as well. Fluttering butterflies welled up within her as Harry ran a hand through her hair. Hermione blushingly smiled and stammered,  
  
"H-Harry--"but he cut her off. By no means was he finished.  
  
"I am so sorry I gave you cause to feel you had to bottle yourself up for my sake. You loved me, Hermione, more and better than anyone else in my life." Harry began guiding Hermione's lips toward his as he whispered on, "But now I am telling you, 'Mione….." He trailed off as their lips met in their first kiss. It was deep, passionate, and pure. Hermione let herself lean in and be guided by the curl in Harry's lips. Harry's hands were embedded amongst Hermione's hair while hold her cheeks and jaw in balance. Hermione's one hand had braced herself on top of Harry's chest, while the other ran through Harry's black, matted hair. She clenched his shirt as her heart raced. When they pulled away, both were smiling, and Harry finished,  
  
"I always have loved you back. I do not know why it took me al these years to admit it, but I do love you, so much." Harry then sat the two of them up slowly. "But you know Voldemort is after me, Hermione, and I can't promise you that---"  
  
"Do you think I haven't weighed all this out in my head time and time again," she broke in. "You should know by now that I signed away a Voldemort and danger free life the day I met you." She slid in closer to him, placing her hands tenderly on his face. Harry's eyes were warm and penetrating. "I'm too involved now. Love is the greatest magic of all, Harry," she proclaimed gingerly, "And it has saved us both on multiple occasions. It's what has you here today." She ran a soft finger over the lightning bolt scar on Harry's forehead. "It was saving us to live for each other." She then threw her arms around him fiercely and held him tightly. Harry wrapped his arms around her a pulled her close.  
  
"Together then," he whispered in her ear, "for whatever wicked this way comes." The two of them laughed as Harry drew her in for another kiss. Harry knew she was right. He knew there would be a tomorrow as long as Hermione was there to share it with him. His life was now worth saving for her kiss. 


End file.
